Writing utensil

ABSTRACT

A writing instrument has a barrel and a writing tip which is to be kept moist. A moistening receptacle has a normally upwardly facing open side provided with a cover having a hole, and a tubular insert which is received in this hole and a largerdiameter outer tubular portion provided with an inner open end in the receptacle, and an open-ended smaller-diameter inner tubular portion located within the outer tubular portion and extending towards but short of the open end of the latter. A terminal insert is partly received in the open end of the outer tubular portion in abutment with the inner tubular portion and is provided with a plurality of capillaries through which liquid can pass from the interior of the receptacle.

[1 1 $866,992 1' Feb; 18, 1975 United States Patent Katz;

[ WRITING UTENSIL Inventor: Otto Katz, Schwabach, Germany PrimaryExaminer casmir Nunberg Assignee: A. W. Faber-Caste", Stein beiAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT A writinginstrument has a barrel and a writing tip Nurnberg, Germany Nov. 13,1973 [22] Filed:

21 Appl. No.: 415,385

which is to be kept moist. A moistening receptacle has a normallyupwardly facing open side provided with a coverhaving a hole, and atubular insert which is re- Foreign Apphcatlon Pnomy Data ceived in thishole and a larger-diameter outer tubular 1972 portion provided with aninner open end in the receptacle, and an open-ended smaller-diameterinner tubular portion located within the outer tubular portion 1 andextending'towards but short of the open end of 101. 303 272 l l 3ul 3 9.9 6 6 U l 5 2 9 6 u l 1 n m C "r .8 ms L -m C WM .m UhF 11]] 2 8 555[[1 the latter. A terminal insert is partly received in the open end ofthe outer tubular portion in abutment with the inner tubular portion andis provided with a [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS pluralityof capillaries through which liquid can pass from the interior of thereceptacle.

3,428,380 2/1969 Danj'czek............................ 3,445,149 5/1969Kuypers. 3,463,323 8/1969 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB]8l975 WRITING UTENSIL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION have their writing tipmaintained moist in order to operate properly. For instance, in the typeof writing instrument just mentioned, an evaporation of the liquid fromthe India ink in the small-diameter tube the free open end of which isapplied to paper or the like for writing purposes, will result in theformation of encrustations within the tube which prevent the needle frommoving. This, in turn, prevents the instrument from operating properlybecause the inward movement of the needle, occasioned by placing of theneedle tip which extends outwardly beyond the open end of the writingtube, permits the flow of fluid to the open end of the writing tube.Even if the writing instrument should not become entirely incapable offunctioning due to the drying-out of the tip, a proper operation of theinstrument would nevertheless be disadvantageously influenced because itwould still be necessary to shake the instrument, clean the writing tipor perform other manipulations before the ink would flow freely.

' The problem outlined above has, of course, been recognized previously,and one approach to a solution suggests that a receptacle be providedinto which the tip of the writing instrument can be inserted and is thensealed against the ambient atmosphere. However, this still does notprevent ink from drying-out in the narrow passages of the tube, forinstance in the narrow clearance existing between the inner wall of thewriting tube of a drafting pen and the needle which extends through thetube.

A further proposal suggests a receptacle into which the writinginstrument can be in part inserted, and wherein a humid atmosphere is tobe maintained. However, experience has shown that this construction isnot satisfactory either, because the proper maintenance of humidity inthe receptacle is dependent upon a number of variable factors which donot permit a proper control.

It is, therefore, a long-standing desire of the industry to obtainfurther improvements in this field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION- Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide such further improvements.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to providean improved writing utensil wherein the writing tip of the writinginstrument can be reliably maintained moist, that is the ink present atthe tip or in the region thereof can be prevented from drying out.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an improved writingutensil which makes it possible to limit the evaporation of themoisture-producing liquid, and which assures that a zone of humiditydevelops and is maintained in the immediate area of the writing tipwhere it can afford maximum benefits, rather than remote from this areawhere it wouldserve no beneficial purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved writingutensil wherein the effectiveness of the moisturizing arrangement ismaintained uniform over a prolonged period of time, imdependently of theamount of liquid which is available for evaporation and creation ofhumidity.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a writing utensilwhich permits a user to maintain all those components of the utensilwhich are subject to soiling, clean without any difficulty and withoutanywhere influencing the structure or characteristics of the componentsas a result of such cleaning.

in keeping with the above objects, and with others which will becomeapparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a writingutensil, namely a writing utensil comprising a combination of a writinginstrument having a barrel and a writing tip which is to be kept moist,and a moistening receptacle adapted to contain liquid and having anormally upwardly facing open side. A cover is provided on this openside and formed with a hole. A tubular insert is received in this holeand has a larger-diameter outer tubular portion having an inner openend, and an open-ended smallerdiameter inner tubular portion locatedwithin the outer tubular portion and extending from a regionintermediate the hole into the inner open end towards but short of thelatter. A terminal insert is partly received in the inner open end inabutment with the inner tubular portion and provided with a plurality ofcapillaries through which liquid can pass from the interior of thereceptacle so that, when the writing tip is received in the innertubular portion, the writing tip will remain moist.

Cleaning of the terminal insert, which requires its removal from theouter tubular portion, is facilitated if, in accordance with a furtherconcept of the invention, the terminal insert is cylindrical andcomposed of two semi-cylindrical portions having juxtaposed surfaceswhich are maintained out of direct abutment by projections provided onthem, and in which the capillaries are formedas capillary channels orgrooves, with theinsert having an axial end face facing inwardly of theinner tubular portion and provided with further capillary groovescommunicating with the ones in the juxtaposed surfaces.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a partly sectioned and partlybroken-away perspective view of a moistening receptacle of a writingutensil according to the'present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates in a perspective view a writing instrument whose tipis to be kept moist by means of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a detail of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a further detail of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing indetail, and firstly to FIG. 2, it will be seen that this Figureillustrates a writing instrumentsuch as a drafting pen-which is to befilled with writing fluid, such as India ink or the like, in a mannerwell known to those skilled in the art. The filling mechanism forms nopart of the invention and is, therefore, not illustrated. It willsufflce to point out that normally the writing instrument in FIG. 2contains a writing fluid located in a reservoir which is contained inthe barrel 25. The front end of the barrel is provided with acylindrical portion 26 from which the writing tube 27 projectsforwardly. In known manner, a needle 28 is accommodated in the writingtube 27, so that it can be present inwardly of the latter upon lightcontact of the needle 28 with a surface on which it is desired to makemarkings, with the result that as the needle 28 moves inwardly the openend of the tube 27 comes in contact with the surface to make markingsthereon, and at the same time the needle28 opens a passage inwardly ofthe writing instrument which permits the flow of writing fluid from thereservoir to the open end of the writing tube 27.

The purpose of the present invention is to prevent drying-out of thewriting fluid which is located on or in the writing tube 27, and in theregion of the latter.

For this purpose, the invention further provides a moistening receptacle1 which may be made of suitable material, for instance metal orsynthetic plastic, and which advantageously is slightly elastic. Thenormally upwardly facing open side of the receptacle 1 has a cover 2which, if the walls of the receptacle 1 have some slight elasticity, canbe inserted into the open side with a snap action. The cover 2 isprovided with one or more openings 3 (in this instance, there are fourof these openings) each of which accommodates a tubular insert 4 whichis shown in perspective view in FIG. 3. Each tubular insert has an axialpassage 5, as shown in the sectioned portion in FIG. 1, which is locatedwithin an outer tubular portion of the insert. A wall portion 6 formswithin the outer tubular portion an inner tubular portion having acentral passage of smaller diameter than the passage 5. The innertubular portion formed by the wall 6 is identified with referencenumeral 7 and extends toward but terminates short of the inner open endof the outer tubular portion having the passage 5, that is the innertubular end which is located within the receptacle 1 upwardly spacedfrom the bottom wall 12 of the same.

A terminal insert 8 is wholly on partly (in this embodiment, partly)inserted into the inner open end of the outer tubular portion of theinsert 4, in contact with the inner open end of the inner tubularportion 7. It is provided with a plurality of capillaries 9 and isformed with a shoulder 19 which abuts against the outer tubular portionwhen the insert 8 is inserted into the latter, thus providing for asimple but precise positioning of the insert 8 with reference to theinsert 4. The latter is formed at its upper end which is located outsidethe cover 2 with a shoulder 10 which determines to which extent theinsert 4 can be introduced into the receptacle 1. To facilitate grippingof the insert 4 for introduction or removal from the openings 3, theouter end of the insert 4 may be formed with knurling 11 or mayotherwise be roughened.

It is advantageous, if as shown in FIG. 4, the terminal insert 8 is ofcylindrical configuration and composed of two semi-cylindrical portions13 and 14 which are identical in configuration and have juxtaposedsurfaces. These surfaces are each provided with a spacing portion 15which may be in form of a bead or the like, although they may, ofcourse, each be provided with more than one such spacing portion or onlyone may be provide with one or more such spacing portions. In any case,the purpose of the spacing portions 15 is to maintain the juxtaposedsurfaces apart from one another to a slight extent. The surfaces areformed with grooves 16 extending from one to the other axial end of theinsert 8, and these grooves form the capillaries 9. The upper axial endface 17, which faces inwardly of the tubular portion 7, is also providedwith capillary grooves 18 which communicate with the grooves 16.Knurling 20 may be provided to facilitate engagement of the insert 8.

Only one writing instrument has been shown in FIG. 2, but it will beappreciated that a writing instrument may be provided for each of theinserts 4, just as it will be appreciated that it is conceivable to usea single writing instrument and to form the receptacle 1 with only asingle opening 3 and a single insert 4.

In order to use the writing utensil according to the present invention,and in particular to maintain the writing tip of the writing instrumentof FIG. 2 in moist condition, one of the inserts 4 is withdrawn from itsassociated opening 3 and water is introduced into the receptacle throughthe thus exposed opening 3. It is not critical if too much water isintroduced; in fact, the receptacle 1 may be filled to overflowing.Subsequently, the receptacle 1 is turned until the cover 2 has a substantially vertical orientation. When the receptacle 1 assumes thisposition, excess water will flow out of the opening or openings 3 and,when the receptacle 1 is subsequently returned again to the positionshown in FIG. 1, it will be filled with the proper amount of water. Theportions 13 and 14 which are either clean or have been cleaned of anyresidue, are now placed together so that they assume cylindricalconfiguration and are then inserted into the inner open end of the outertubular portion of the respective insert 4, as shown in FIG. 1. Theinsert 4 with the terminal insert 8 is then introduced into therespective opening 3. The construction is such that the amount of liquidin the receptacle 1when the latter has been fllled in the mannerdescribed above-will be located below the upper axial end face 17 of therespective insert 8, to assure that no liquid is contained in respectiveinner tubular portion 7.

The liquid in the receptacle 1 is drawn by capillary action through thecapillaries 9, that is through the capillary grooves 16, and movesupwardly to the capillary grooves 18 which become filled with liquid.When the writing instrument of FIG. 2 is now inserted into a respectiveinsert 4, the portion 26 will move into engagement with the upper openend of the inner tubular portion 7 with which it will-establish a seal,whereas the writing tube 27 will terminate just slightly above the upperaxial end face 17 (for which reason the axial length of the tubularportion 7 is appropriately selected with reference to the axial lengthof the writing tube 27), the spacing being such that the needle 27 doesnot come in contact with the upper axial end face 17 because it wouldotherwise be inwardly depressed and permit outflow of writing fluid fromthe reservoir in the barrel 25. However, the writing tube 27 is nowimmediately surrounded by a zone of humidity and the dryingout ofwriting fluid in or on the tube 27 is thus reliably prevented.

The construction according to the present invention is both simple instructural terms and can be readily assembled. The capillary channelswhich serve to transfer liquid to the most effective zone, that isimmediately adjacent the writing tube 27, can be readily cleaned, andthe identical portions 13, 14 can be produced very simply andinexpensively.

Moreover, the effectiveness of the moistening action afforded by thenovel writing utensil is entirely independent of the level of liquid inthe receptacle 1, and the zone in which humidity is maintained islocated not only immediately adjacent the writing tube 27 which is to bemaintained moist, but also is small so that the loss of liquid byevaporation is very slow.

In fact, even if the writing instrument is withdrawn from the respectiveinsert 4, the evaporation which can take place is very slow because thesurface area which is exposed and from which evaporation can take placeis relatively small. Even if the device is allowed to dry outcompletely, however, it can be readily placed back into use byreintroducing liquid. The device should, of course, be cleaned first butthis can be carried out in a very simple and efficacious manner. Bycontrast, prior-art proposals using a sponge accommodated in a receptacle make the cleaning very difficult, because the sponge cannot bereadily removed and, once it has been removed, cannot be readily cleanedand reinstalled.

The construction of the inserts 4 makes it possible to withdraw themvery readily, and to reinsert them equally readily. The same is true ofthe inserts 8.

It will be understood that each of the elements de-' scribed above, ortwo or more together, may also find a useful application in other typesof constructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in awriting utensil, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown,since various modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a writing utensil, a combination comprising a writing instrumenthaving a barrel and a writing tip which is to be kept moist; amoistening receptacle adapted to contain a liquid and having a normallyupwardly facing open side, a cover on said open side and provided with ahole, a tubular insert received in said hole and having alarger-diameter axially outer tubular portion having an inner open end,and an open-ended smaller-diameter axially inner tubular portion locatedwithin said axially outer tubular portion and extending from a regionintermediate said hole and said inner open end towards but short of thelatter, and a terminal insert partly received in said inner open end inabutment with said axially inner tubularportion and provided with aplurality of capillaries through which liquid can pass from the interiorof said receptacle so that, when said writing tip is received in saidtubular portion. the writing tip will remain moist; and cooperatingsealing surfaces on saidbarrel rearwardly of said writing tip and insaid tubular insert at said region, said sealing surfaces engaging oneanother when said writing instrument is inserted into said tubularinsert so as to seal the interior of said receptacle against the ambientatmosphere.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, said outer tubular portionhaving an exterior shoulder for engagement with said cover, saidreceptacle having a bottom wall opposite said cover, and said terminalinsert having an abutment for engagement with said outer tubular portionat said open end, whereby the spacing of said terminal insert from saidbottom wall is predetermined.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said terminal insert iscylindrical and composed of two semi-cylindrical portions havingjuxtaposed surfaces, has abutment portions on at least one of saidsurfaces to prevent tight contact between them and an upper axial endface formed with capillary grooves. and wherein said capillaries arealso capillary grooves formed in said surfaces and communicating withsaid capillary grooves in said axial end face.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said portions are ofidentical configuration.

5. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said barrel has acylindrical front section provided with said tip; said inner tubularportion having an outer passage dimensioned to receive said frontsection, and said outer tubular portion having a center passagedimensioned to receive a part of said barrel adjacent said frontsection.

6. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is ofmetallic material.

7. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle has sidewalls which are at least slightly flexible, and wherein said cover isreceived with a snapaction in said open side.

8. In a writing utensil, a combination comprising a writing instrumenthaving a barrel and a writing tip which is to be kept moist; and amoistening receptacle adapted to contain a liquid and having a normallyupwardly facing open side, a cover on said open side and provided with ahole, a tubular insert received in said hole and having alarger-diameter outer tubular portion having an inner open end, and anopen-ended smallerdiameter inner tubular portion located within saidouter tubular portion and extending from a region intermediate said holeand said inner open end towards but short of the latter, and a terminalinsert partly received in said inner open end in abutment with saidinner tubular portion and provided with a plurality of capillariesthrough which liquid can pass from the interio'r of said receptacle sothat, when said writing tip is received in said tubular portion, thewriting tip will remain moist, said terminal insert being cylindricaland composed of two semi-cylindrical portions having juxtaposedsurfaces, having abutment portions on at least one of said surfaces toprevent tight contact between them and an upper axial end face formedwith capillary grooves, and wherein said capillaries are also capillarygrooves formed in said surfaces and communicating with said capillarygrooves in said axial end face.

9. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said portions are ofidentical configuration.

1. In a writing utensil, a combination comprising a writing instrumenthaving a barrel and a writing tip which is to be kept moist; amoistening receptacle adapted to contain a liquid and having a normallyupwardly facing open side, a cover on said open side and provided with ahole, a tubular insert received in said hole and having alarger-diameter axially outer tubular portion having an inner open end,and an open-ended smaller-diameter axially inner tubular portion locatedwithin said axially outer tubular portion and extending from a regionintermediate said hole and said inner open end towards but short of thelatter, and a terminal insert partly received in said inner open end inabutment with said axially inner tubular portion and provided with aplurality of capillaries through which liquid can pass from the interiorof said receptacle so that, when said writing tip is received in saidtubular portion, the writing tip will remain moist; and cooperatingsealing surfaces on said barrel rearwardly of said writing tip and insaid tubular insert at said region, said sealing surfaces engaging oneanother when said writing instrument is inserted into said tubularinsert so as to seal the interior of said receptacle against the ambientatmosphere.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1, said outer tubularportion having an exterior shoulder for engagement with said cover, saidreceptacle having a bottom wall opposite said cover, and said terminalinsert having an abutment for engagement with said outer tubular portionat said open end, whereby the spacing of said terminal insert from saidbottom wall is predetermined.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 1,wherein said terminal insert is cylindrical and composed of twosemi-cylindrical portions having juxtaposed surfaces, has abutmentportions on at least one of said surfaces to prevent tight contactbetween them and an upper axial end face formed with capillary grooves,and wherein said capillaries are also capillary grooves formed in saidsurfaces and communicating with said capillary grooves in said axial endface.
 4. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said portions areof identical configuration.
 5. A combination as defined in claim 1,wherein said barrel has a cylindrical front section provided with saidtip; said inner tubular portion having an outer passage dimensioned toreceive said front secTion, and said outer tubular portion having acenter passage dimensioned to receive a part of said barrel adjacentsaid front section.
 6. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein saidreceptacle is of metallic material.
 7. A combination as defined in claim1, wherein said receptacle has side walls which are at least slightlyflexible, and wherein said cover is received with a snap-action in saidopen side.
 8. In a writing utensil, a combination comprising a writinginstrument having a barrel and a writing tip which is to be kept moist;and a moistening receptacle adapted to contain a liquid and having anormally upwardly facing open side, a cover on said open side andprovided with a hole, a tubular insert received in said hole and havinga larger-diameter outer tubular portion having an inner open end, and anopen-ended smaller-diameter inner tubular portion located within saidouter tubular portion and extending from a region intermediate said holeand said inner open end towards but short of the latter, and a terminalinsert partly received in said inner open end in abutment with saidinner tubular portion and provided with a plurality of capillariesthrough which liquid can pass from the interior of said receptacle sothat, when said writing tip is received in said tubular portion, thewriting tip will remain moist, said terminal insert being cylindricaland composed of two semi-cylindrical portions having juxtaposedsurfaces, having abutment portions on at least one of said surfaces toprevent tight contact between them and an upper axial end face formedwith capillary grooves, and wherein said capillaries are also capillarygrooves formed in said surfaces and communicating with said capillarygrooves in said axial end face.
 9. A combination as defined in claim 1,wherein said portions are of identical configuration.